How to Set Up a Horseshoe Court

Enjoy a beautiful day outside by playing the classic game of horseshoe. It's a fun game for the whole family to participate in. Make your horseshoe pitching a success with these guidelines adapted from the official rules of the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association of America.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Horseshoe Stakes
• Measuring Tapes
• Clay
• Sawdust
• Horseshoes
• Sand
• Shovels

1. Find a flat, level, rectangular surface 6 feet wide and at least 46 feet long.

2. Mark off two spots, 40 feet apart. These will be the locations of the stakes.

3. Dig a rectangular pit around each stake spot; make each pit 43 to 72 inches long, 31 to 36 inches wide and 4 to 8 inches deep.

4. Fill the pit with a filler substance, such as clay, sawdust or sand. When filled, the pit should be level with the rest of the court.

5. Drive the stakes into the centers of their respective pits until they extend 14 or 15 inches above the pit surface.

6. Lean the stakes toward each other, if you wish, but no more than 3 inches.

7. Set up foul lines to be a foot around the pit for each stake.

Tips & Warnings

• Orient outdoor courts north-south to avoid having the sun in your eyes while pitching.

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[sbzbeck]

on 8/6/2007 Anchoring the pole alternative - I have found that using a rail road tie makes a great anchor for the pole. Get a common rail road tie and cut it in half. Measure one foot from the end of the tie and mark it, this is the drill mark. Be sure to stay close to the center of the tie. If you are using a 1" pole then you will need a 15/16 drill bit. Rules call for a 3° inward lean. use a speed square and mark the edge of the tie to find the proper amount of lean for your drill. Drill the hole till it is close to coming through the underside. Drive your stake into the hole. Bury the unit.

[scooby]

on 7/14/2007 how does point eliminations and such go like 1 team scores 2 ringers then the other team throws a ringer and a point?
or 1 team throws ringer and a point then team 2 throws a ringer? is it a ringer for a ringer and then whats left is scored

[poopfungus]

on 1/12/2007 blue clay works best for pits.. mine are a foot deep.. i keep a tarp over them when not in use to keep them soft and water them down rarely.. once in awhile when the poles are rusty, i spray em with white spray paint to see em better.. put a beer can upside down on em at night to reflect the torch light or moon.. and girls get to skoot up 10 feet when they play but, only if they want to.. pit size should be 6ft. long by 3ft. wide.. and its better/easier/nicer looking if you use landscape timbers to border the pits (level with ground).. you can also use a 'back stop' 4ft.wide by 2ft. high, 1ft. behind the pit(i use 4by4 post to put it on).. and the poles should lean so that if you take a piece of string from the top of the pole to the ground, the gap between the string and bottom of pole should be three inches..

on 11/22/2005 Make sure you establish the foul line before the game begins.

on 11/22/2005 My tip for setting up a good horseshoe court is to make sure there is the right kind of dirt or sand, and stakes that are the same size. It is very common for me to see the stakes a different size, and for some that is an advantage. For fair play always check them before and after your game or tournament.